For a Government that has either created or been tolerant of a corruption problem that it recognises as real, it is also a bold move to admit that the authorities currently tasked with curbing corrupt behaviour are ineffective. Because this Bill doesn’t emerge in a vacuum; all of the behaviours it cites are already considered either illegal, or at least politically offensive.

Let’s not forget that there is already an anti-corruption authority in Gibraltar, the RGP. It is already part of their remit to control many of the issues that this new authority will also tackle, in fact, it will still be the job of the RGP to prosecute investigations undertaken by this new authority. The fact is that judging by the need for this new authority, the Government is saying that the RGP is currently incapable of fulfilling its remit and is therefore either compromised, underfunded or both.

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I’ve been thinking a lot about our electoral system and how it works… and doesn’t work!

This dynamic is commonly expressed by the maxim (with a local twist) “In Gibraltar, politicians don’t win elections, they lose them” which I 100% agree with.

But why does political change in Gibraltar always have to be so traumatic?

I believe the main reason for this is our flawed electoral system, which, when combined with our good ol’ endemic political issues, creates an almost insurmountable advantage for the party in Government. Here is a list with what I see as the main problems affecting the effective delivery of democratic change by our electoral system.

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“The age of entitlement is over.”

Fabian Picardo says this with a straight face, in front of all his political friends and foes, after having been at the helm of yet another GSLP electoral spectacle of hardcore clientelism in which he rewarded, gifted, and promised the moon to all prospective voters. The magician who reformed No.6 Convent place to suit the stature of a world leader, who is driven around in fancy cars and enjoys staying at the Ritz with his entourage when travelling at the taxpayers expense, whips out a top hat and - now you see it, now you don’t - pulls out the age of responsibility.

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Last week we were treated to a display of courage and unity from our healthcare workers with the backing of UNITE, as they marched in great numbers through Main Street to protest the unacceptable working conditions that many GHA workers (and other subcontracted labour) are being subjected to. They also raised grievances about a plethora of bad practices that are common across the civll service, such as mismanagement, lack of freedoms and the general defunding of our public services.

I want to be very clear about what is happening here. We are witnessing the piece-by-piece privatisation of parts of our public services, particularly in the areas of care, and it is happening in the usual, GSLP style.

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“We are nothing more or less than what we choose to reveal.”

– Frank Underwood

Now that I have your attention… unfortunately I will not be able to move on with my blog (sigh) without going over the insane backlash caused by post 3. I have to say I am very sorry about this, as this blog was always intended as a means to escape the everyday theatrics and the PR wars, but I’m afraid that certain lies and disinformation must be countered. I hope you will understand.

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As we enter the fourth week of war and the conflict begins to take an unbearable toll on the civilian population of Ukraine, we begin to brace ourselves for the worst. Sanctions continue to tighten, arms start to flood Ukraine and threats fly from the pulpits of power, traversing frontiers as they echo through the bloody trenches. The geopolitical chess board is also becoming a flurry of activity, with Chinese diplomacy becoming increasingly active and the erstwhile reviled Venezuelan regime suddenly becoming America’s energetic cavalry. The EU is heavily restricting purchases of Russian gas. Germany has ramped up its military spending. Finland and Sweden are rethinking their long-standing positions of military neutrality. What we are seeing is, tragically, a slow but inevitable escalation, in which yesterday’s red lines are today’s “faits accomplis”. What a terrifying time to be alive!

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A few weeks ago I gave an interview for a Spanish online media outlet (an interview they requested, of course). It was a general overview of the current political situation, with a soft focus on the Brexit issue and the impact of a deal (or lack of) on cross-border relations. I expressed my desire to have good relations with our neighbours, and my hopes for a deal that would allow for common prosperity without jeopardising Gibraltarian sovereignty. I said the GSLP Government would have a lot of explaining to do if the moment comes to sell any potential deal (which will inevitably include some concessions) to the electorate after having exploited Gibraltar’s nationalist fervour for decades.

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What is The Bridge?

The Bridge is an attempt to find a new way to communicate with you, the politically minded and engaged Gibraltarian. A space for debate that breaks away from the simplistic, boring and confrontational format of the Press Release, which dominates the political conversation of contemporary Gibraltar politics.

The Bridge is a term I have borrowed from one of the public figures I most admire, and on whom I try to model my politics - I’m not saying I succeed, just saying I try

This is what the prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, said about leadership:

“To me, leadership is not about necessarily being the loudest in the room, but instead being the bridge, or the thing that is missing in the discussion and trying to build a consensus from there.”

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